I9i8. ScHAHFF — The Irish Red Deer. 139 



structure with the Wapiti Deer of North America. A 

 Wapiti [cerviis canadensis) skull apart from the antlers 

 is not much longer than that of a large Irish Red Deer. 

 The zygomatic width at the posterior end of the jugal 

 bone is about the same in both. A striking feature of 

 difference is noticeable in the length and width of the nasal 

 bones which are much longer and broader in the Wapiti 

 than in the Irish Red Deer. The antorbital vacuity also 

 is longer and broader in the Wapiti. Turning over the 

 skull we further note that the series of molar and premolar 

 teeth is considerably longer in the Wapiti than in the 

 Irish Red Deer. The Red Deer has been known to cross 

 with the Wapiti, as reported from Caledon Park, Co. Tyrone, 

 and the two no doubt are nearly related to one another. 

 The fact of their crossing, however, does not imply near 

 relationship, since we know that the Red Deer and Japanese 

 Deer are regularly producing hybrids in Powerscourt Park, 

 Co. Wicklow\ It is the structure and formation of the 

 skull and teeth which are very similar in the Red Deer 

 and Wapiti. Through the kindness of the Earl of Kenmare 

 and his representative, Mr. Mathews, I am now being 

 supplied with a series of Red Deer skulls from Killarney, 

 and when these have been thoroughly cleaned I may be 

 able to describe more clearly the structure of the surviving 

 race of the Irish Deer. 



List of Works cited in this Paper, 



1. Thompson, W. — -Natural History of Ireland, vol. iv., 1856. 



2. UssHER, R. J. — Notes on Irish Red Deer, Zoologist, vol. vi. (3), 1882. 



3. Brereton, W. — Travels in Holland and Ireland, Chethani Soc, vol. I, 



1844. 



4. State Papers, Henry VIII., Part 3, 1834. 



5. Calendar of Close Rolls iii., Edward I., Membrane 5, 1275. 



6. GiRALDUs Cambrensis. — Topography of Ireland, London, 1881. 



7. Le Fanu, T. P. — Royal Forest of Glencrce, Journ. Soc. Antiq. 



Ireland, vol. 3, 1893. 



8. Stejneger, L. — Origin of so-called Atlantic animals and plants of 



Norway, Smithsonian MisceH. Coll., vol. 48, 1907. 



9. Lonnberg E. — On the geographic races of Red Deer in Scandinavia, 



Avkiv fov Zoologi, vol. 3, igo6. 



National ]\luseum, Dublin. 



